Pumpkin seed power!

Ah, toasted pumpkin seeds. I have a love-hate relationship with you.

As a child, I despised many glorious foods. Every time my mother would order a side of guacamole at Cornejos, my sister and I would groan in disgust (to which she would gleefully reply, "I guess there's just more for me!") When most of my class mates cheered for chicken fried steak day, I found more joy in the overcooked canned spinach the cafeteria served on the side.

Also on the hit list of my sophisticated, pre-adult palette: mushrooms in sauces, sushi, cottage cheese (ah! the texture!), yogurt, most eggplant, fresh tomato slices, Dijon mustard, beer, vanilla ice cream, and white chocolate chip cookies. I love all of these foods now.

Pumpkin seeds have moved, slowly, from a smarting childhood memory to a crunchy comfort food to me. My mother used to roast these seeds plain, maybe with a little salt, after our family pumpkin-carving sessions each fall. For some reason, I couldn't enjoy their crispiness or their delicate flavor; all I could think of were the few seeds that inevitably burned (giving the kitchen an ironing-gone-bad smell) and the gooey pumpkin innards I had to clean to retrieve the seeds. My hands always felt slimy for a long time afterward.

Last week, I decided to make peace with pumpkin seeds.

My husband, sister, and I went to our friend Tree's house to enjoy some home-made chicken fried rice and Halloween candy. I brought a pie tin of gooey seeds with me. After we ate, I washed the seeds, seasoned them, and threw them in Tree's oven. Minutes later, we all enjoyed these crispy little guys with the pilot episode of My So-called Life. Oh, the late 90's drama!

Tree has artistic coffee mugs, but she doesn't drink coffee.

Quickie Pumpkin Seeds

• gooey seeds from one carved pumpkin
• salt
• freshly cracked pepper
• 1-2 Tb. soy sauce
• cookie sheet

Wash away the pumpkin goo by placing seeds in a colander and running warm water over the seeds for a few minutes.

Drain the seeds, then pour them into a medium-sized bowl. Season the crap out of the seeds. Going with the "Asian" theme of the evening, I used salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Use any herbs and spices you like; smear them with barbecue sauce for all I care. Just make sure the seasoning and sauce lightly coats your seeds, so they do not forever stick to the cookie sheet.

Toast the seeds in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until you begin to smell toasty goodness from the kitchen. Give the seeds a little flip halfway through to make sure they toast evenly. Enjoy with beer and a trashy TV show.